SEE GULLS: The Cubs' Reed Johnson had birds in his way as he flew toward a double in the gap during yesterday's 4-3 Yankees win at Wrigley Field.Getty Images

CHICAGO — Phil Hughes is set to take the biggest step yet in his comeback from an inflamed right shoulder today. How the pitcher progresses will in part dictate what the Yankees do before the July 31 trade deadline.

Hughes, who has been on the disabled list since April 15, is scheduled to start for short-season Single-A Staten Island.

Figure Hughes to make at least four more minor league starts before being ready to return to the Yankees. He has not worked a major league game since April 14, and went on the DL the next day with a 0-1 record, 13.94 ERA in three starts and a fastball that barely reached 90 mph.

If Hughes bounces back to the form he showed last year, when he was an 18-game winner in his first full season as a big league starter, the need for a starting pitcher subsides a bit but does not vanish.

“You don’t know what will happen three months down the road,” said manager Joe Girardi, who also has starter Bartolo Colon (hamstring) on the DL and is using minor league journeyman Brian Gordon to fill Colon’s spot.

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With the Yankees facing a right-hander for the first time in four games yesterday, Girardi returned Brett Gardner to the leadoff spot where the switch-hitting Nick Swisher resided against the lefties.

Since Swisher went 3-for-10 with four walks and was hit by a pitch, Girardi was asked if he was tempted to leave Swisher on top against right-hander Ryan Dempster.

“I figured do it this way,” Girardi said. “Gardy has done a great job for us.”

Gardner went 1-for-4 and walked once. Swisher, hitting sixth, was 0-for-2, walked twice and had a sacrifice fly.

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Asked to comment on high-strung Cubs right-hander Carlos Zambrano fitting in with the Yankees now that Zambrano has said he won’t let a no-trade clause stand in the way of him being dealt, Girardi said, “I can’t talk about that, sorry.”

Dempster, who is a more attractive trade candidate for the Yankees than Zambrano, allowed three runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings to drop his record to 5-6.

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The Yankees committed two errors, the ninth time this season they have made two or more errors. A year ago they had 10 multi-error games.

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The Yankees signed top pick Dante Bichette Jr. to a contract and gave him a $750,000 bonus. Bichette Jr., the 51st pick in the draft, played in a Gulf Coast League exhibition game in Florida yesterday. He went 1-for-4 with an infield single.